U.S. says Iran assisting base attacks

The United States accused Iran on Monday of "actively facilitating" attacks on American forces in the Middle East as it confirmed it had sent a small number of military advisors to Israel.

"Iran continues to support Hamas and Hezbollah, and we know that Iran is closely monitoring these events and, in some cases, actively facilitating these attacks and spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict for their own good or for that of Iran," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House.

Since Wednesday, at least five rocket and drone attacks have targeted three Iraqi military bases where American troops are stationed as part of the international coalition set up to fight the Islamic State group.

A senior US defense official said Monday that the situation could get significantly worse.

"We see a prospect for much more significant escalation against US forces and personnel in the near-term," the official told journalists, characterizing the recent spike in attacks as "efforts by Iran and Iran proxy forces to seek to escalate this conflict."

Iran's Shiite clerical leaders support Hamas which led a surprise attack on Israel on 7 October. They also support the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq and Yemen's Huthi rebels.

Meanwhile, Kirby confirmed that the US has also sent a "few" military advisors to Israel.

The officers have experience in "the sorts of operations that Israel is conducting, and may conduct in the future" and were "over there to share some perspectives," Kirby said.

Israeli officials say more than 1,400 people have died, mostly civilians, in the worst attack since Israel's creation in 1948.

In Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 5,000 people, most of them also civilians, have been killed during Israel's retaliation.